Sheikh Mohammed’s vision drives Dubai toward world’s best city status

Turning vision into reality

The session, titled “Turning Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s Vision into the World’s Best City”, focused on His Highness’ visionary leadership philosophy, which has become an international benchmark for leadership development. It showcased the foundations laid to achieve Dubai’s ambition of becoming a global leader.

Strategic focus areas

Chaired by His Excellency Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary General of the Executive Council of Dubai, the discussion covered Dubai’s human-centered urban services, world-class education, real estate opportunities, and innovative, research-driven healthcare.

Panel speakers included:

• Eng. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality

• Aisha Miran, Director General of Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority

• Omar Bushahab, Director General of the Dubai Land Department and Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment

• Dr. Amer Sharif, CEO of Dubai Health and President of Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU)

Mohammed bin Rashid’s leadership model

Al Basti highlighted that Sheikh Mohammed’s leadership is built on specialised institutions, forward-looking strategies, flexible legislation, and integrated planning. He praised the culture of positive competitiveness across government entities and continuous service improvement.

“Sheikh Mohammed’s bold decisions have created an integrated system that encourages contributions from all sectors, allowing Dubai to progress swiftly from one success to the next,” Al Basti said.

He further noted that Dubai’s D33 economic and social agendas, encompassing strategies across education, healthcare, real estate, and urban development, mark a new phase of integrated planning.

Global impact

Bin Ghalita explained that Dubai’s human capital lies at the core of its global influence. “Dubai has a global impact through its quality of life, advanced infrastructure, and investment-friendly environment. The city plays a pivotal role in shaping the global urban landscape,” he said.

Redesigning education

Miran highlighted Sheikh Mohammed’s people-centered leadership as a model for innovation. “Dubai’s Education 33 (E33) strategy focuses on redesigning students’ journeys, providing safe, supportive learning environments, and ensuring top-quality opportunities. It aims to position Dubai among the top 10 global cities in education,” she said.

Citizen happiness

Bushahab emphasised human-centered governance in the real estate sector, highlighting transparent processes, data-driven decisions, digital services, and customer-centric planning. He added that the leadership vision is translated into tangible results that balance speed, quality, and investment attractiveness.

Integrated healthcare

Sharif reaffirmed the priority of health in Dubai, noting that the integrated academic healthcare system, combining clinical services, education, research, and philanthropy, is central to achieving Dubai Plan 2033. “His Highness’ vision guides every step we take, driving institutional excellence,” he said.

Driving transformational leadership

The forum brought together 1,000 key government and private sector leaders, focusing on leadership and management transformation to implement Sheikh Mohammed’s vision of making Dubai the world’s best city.

The event fosters best practices, encourages qualitative shifts in leadership thinking, and strengthens Dubai’s position as a global benchmark for visionary governance.